Benson says bring on mental exam

NEW ORLEANS - Saints and Pelicans owner Tom Benson said Tuesday he's looking forward to taking mental and physical exams to prove his competency after a judge ordered them.

The order from Civil District Judge Kern Reese comes after a lawsuit was filed to have the 87-year-old Benson declared incapable of handling his affairs. The suit was filed by Benson's daughter Renee and her two children, Rita and Ryan LeBlanc, after Benson changed succession plans to leave control of the teams with Gayle Benson, whom he's been married to for 10 years.

Benson released a statement Tuesday which said he was "extremely disappointed" by the lawsuits and instructed his attorneys to have the exam performed as soon as possible.

"The decisions I have made are well within my rights to make at any point in my life, and rest assured I am making sound decisions," Benson said. "I need not look any further than to read the allegations made against me... to rest easy that I have made the correct decisions."

Another suit filed in Texas against Benson led a judge to appoint two people Monday to oversee a trust holding his assets.